Apps and Togatuki selected for State of Origin Game I

Westpac NSW Blues Women's coach John Strange has made six changes to the side which lost year's series installed Isabelle Kelly as captain for next week's Origin opener at Suncorp Stadium.

Kelly will lead a new-look Blues team, which includes the new halves pairing of Jesse Southwell and Tiana Penitani-Gray, along with four debutants - fullback Abbi Church, winger Jayme Fressard, prop Ellie Johnston and bench utility Jocelyn Kelleher.

The Origin rookies are joined by Kennedy Cherrington and Southwell as new faces in the NSW team, with the pair playing in 2023, but being overlooked for last year's 2-1 series loss. 

The team will be led at Suncorp Stadium on May 1 by Kelly, who is Strange's captain at Sydney Roosters and is likely to succeed Blues great Kezie Apps and evergreen Maroons playmaker Ali Brigginshaw as the next Jillaroos skipper.

Apps remains in the squad and will start alongside Yasmin Clydsdale in the secondrow, with Olivia Kernick named at lock, with Simaima Taufa shifting to the frontrow in the absence of pregnant props Millie Elliott and Caitlan Johnston-Green.

After being a non-playing reserve in last year's series, Ellie Johnston finally gets her chance as the other NSW prop, with Keeley Davis to start at hooker.

Cherrington, Jillaroos frontrower Sarah Togatuki, Kelleher and dual international Emma Verran (nee Tonegato) make up the interchange.

Penitani-Gray takes over from Kelly as vice-captain and will shift from her usual centre role to five-eighth, where she played for Australia in Brigginshaw's absence against Papua New Guinea during last year's Pacific Championships. 

The squad includes 11 players from the 2024 team, which lost the series 2-1 to the Maroons, and eight members of Jillaroos side which beat England 90-4 in Las Vegas in February.

Titans forward Shaylee Bent, Cowboys playmaker Kirra Dibb and Knights hooker Olivia Higgins were earlier named in a 20-player squad to travel to Brisbane for next Thursday night's series opener.

The squad was announced by NSWRL Chair Carolyn Campbell at a special function for the players and their families at the Sydney Opera House.

The Blues women will begin their week-long Game One camp on Thursday at Sydney Olympic Park.

Strange said: “Having the six-week training block was a great opportunity to get to know all the players and see how they combined and worked together.

“All 30 players were outstanding over this period making it a very difficult decision to cut the squad down to 20.

“The players who are selected for Game One certainly have earned their position and I can’t wait for them to take the field on 1 May.”

All three women’s games will be played in May, a fortnight apart, with Game Two to be played at Sydney's Allianz Stadium on Thursday 15 May and Game Three in Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday 29 May.

The Maroons currently hold the honours 4-3 since the Interstate Challenge was given Origin status in 2018, winning the Shield in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, while the Blues won in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

One of the features of today’s event was a fly-over from a Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service aircraft as the valuable community service will again benefit from this year’s Men’s and Women’s State of Origin series.

Last year Westpac donated $5,000 for every try scored by the NSW Blues in both the men’s and women’s series. A total of 17 tries were scored and $85,000 was raised.

Jeff Hurdis, Westpac’s State General Manager Commercial Banking, NSW, said: “Bringing our partnerships with NSW Rugby League and the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service together in this manner is something all of us at Westpac are incredibly proud of.

“Rugby League is a central part of so many households and communities across NSW, and I know Blues fans will be cheering extra loudly now they know that every try scored helps keep the iconic chopper in the air.

“Good luck to the Westpac NSW Blues and Westpac NSW Blues Women for the series ahead!”